An optical connector used in connection between optical fibers is known in, for example, a LAN for automobile (for example, see PTL 1). This kind of optical connector 500 includes a ferrule 506 fixed to the distal end of an optical fiber 504 of an optical fiber cable 502, a housing 508 for receiving the ferrule 506, a stopper 510 assembled to the housing 508, a leaf spring 512, a crimp sleeve 514, a crimp ring 516 and a boot 518 as shown in FIG. 13.
The housing 508 has a structure in which the distal end side is provided with a connector fitting part 520 fitted into a housing of the other connector (not shown) and also the proximal end side includes ferrule receiving space for receiving the ferrule 506. The stopper 510 is attached to the ferrule receiving space of the housing 508, and positions the ferrule 506 inside the housing 508 and prevents detachment of the leaf spring 512. The leaf spring 512 urges the ferrule 506 of the inside of the ferrule receiving space to the other connector side. This leaf spring 512 is provided in order to reduce a value of a gap between ferrule end faces opposed by fitting connection between the connectors and improve transmission performance.
Incidentally, in this optical connector 500, a slit 526 is formed in order to decrease the total height of the optical connector 500 (decrease in height). By providing upper wall parts 522 of the housing 508 shown in FIG. 14 with the slit 526 shown in FIG. 15 which the lower portion of a lock arm 524 can enter, the height of the optical connector 500 can be decreased by the amount K (see FIG. 14) in which the lower portion of the lock arm 524 can avoid interference with the upper wall parts 522.